Rotary steam-engine



(No Model.) 3 Sheath-Sheet 1.

J.,E.-.SACKETT.- ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.-

No. 449,864. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.-

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. J. E. SACKETTL- ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

No. 449,864. Patented Apia '7, 18-91.

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.No. 449,864. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SACKETT, OF GRAHAMSVILLE, NEW YORK.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,864, dated April '7, 1891. Application filed February 8, 1890. Serial No. 339,716. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. SACKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grahamsville, in the county of Sullivan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the-art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in rotary steam-engines; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, more fully hereinafter described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a positive, rapid, and powerful acting steamengine adapted to utilize the greatest amount of steam-pressn re with but little loss of power, and it further consists in structural simplicity and durability. These objects I obtain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my engine complete. Fig. 2 is a top plan View. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the cylinders with its side removed. Fig. 4. is a sectional top plan of the governing valve-chests. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of the valve-actuating cams. Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the steam-chest looking from the cylinder on the line 'y y, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 8 is a section on the line a; :r of Fig. '7. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of the pistonhead and a portion of the piston, showing the steam-actuated packing. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the yoked end of the valveoperating pitman.

In the drawings, A represents the base, and B and B represent two cylinders securely arranged adjacent to each other in the base. In these cylinders are mountedrotatin g pistons 0, each having a piston-head O on its periphery. The cylinders are formed with a forward eX- tension D, forrning a rectangular chamber, and which a suitable plunger-valve d operates. The outer sides of the cylinders are provided with exhaust-ports band supplyports 1) b located, respectively, on each side of the exhaust. The valve (Z is made to move directly over the exhaust and act as a pressure-block for the steam.

F represents the steam-chest, located near the front outer sides of the cylinders. Their construction is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, with partitions f f f 2 extending laterally partly across the same, forming four chambers. The chamber between the upper and central par tition has an opening f and the chamber formed by the lower end of the casing and the lower partition has an opening f These openings register with the openings b and b? in the cylinder. Two vertical partitions f and f are formed in the chest, the former having the openings f and f therein and the latter having the lower opening f adjacent to the openingf. The chamber formed between these two partitions has a cross-partt tion f above the lower opening. Inlet-openings f are formed in the upper sidewalls of this chamber. To regulate the flow of steam, two reciprocating valves G G are placed over the openings f and f.

On the upper side of the frame is placed a valve-box H, having two closed boxes on either end, into which the steam-supply pipes lead. These boxes are constructed with a central lateral partition h, in which are formed suitable ports h and 72?, leading into channels h and h below the partition. In the inner side of the boxing are formed two ports 71.5 and h, leading out from the channels and registering with the openings f in the steamchest.

To control the movement of the steam in the boxing H, I place the reversing mechanism, which consists of two sliding valves I I, above the partition h in the ends of the box. These valves have two openings therein, and are formed so that the openings will register with one opening only at a time with the opening in the partition. They are actuated by a throttle-lever K, pivoted to the boxing, having on each end opposite the pivot e links 70 and 70 connected with pitmen working through suitable stuffing-boxes and having their outer ends secured to the sliding valves I. Above the handle of the lever K is a spring-catch 7o, engaging with a notch in the boxing for locking the Valves when the steam is cut off.

To actuate the valves G and G and the plungers d, I place on the shaft A between the cylinders two like cam-wheels L, the outer faces of which are provided with cam-grooves Z and their inner faces with cam-groove Z. In the outer grooves are placed rollers secured to the ends of reciprocating pistons M, which pistons are connected at their outer ends to a lever m, fulcrumed in the frame, to the opposite end of which is pivotally secured the piston-rods g and g of the valves G and G. In the grooves Z in the inner face of the camwhecls are placed rollers 21-, journaled on the yoke-shaped head of pitmen N, the outer ends of which are secured to levers O, which have their opposite ends pivotally secured to the pistons (Z of the plunger (Z. The levers O are fulcrumed in suitable brackets on the frame. The yoked ends of the pitmen N are formed with V-shaped inner edges working in V- shaped grooves in the hubs of the wheels, thereby forming a support for the pitmen and permitting a longitudinal movement.

In constructing the piston and piston-head I form their outer surfaces with lateral movable blocks, the blocks on the piston being located below the periphery and having suitable spacing back of the same, into which the steam passes through channels formed in the periphery. The piston-head is constructed with openings Q, leading into spaces below movable blocks q. The upper end of the piston is formed with two vertically-movable blocks R, beneath which steam is forced through openings r in the sides of the head. By this construction the steam forces the movable blocks out and forms a steam-tight packing for the piston. To overcome the wear on the shaft of the pistons or the boxes in which the same are placed, I preferably mount the same on stationary bases a, through which suitable elevating-bolts a pass and impinge against the bearing-blocks to elevate the same. A suitable opening w is made in the side of the cylinders to permit the escape of the confined hot air within the piston.

Having thus described the arrangement of the parts of my invention, the operation is as follows: The steam is admitted to the boxing ll through the medium of supply-pipes, said pipes being connected to any suitable supply. Thence it passes (as in this instance, by the permission of the adjustment of the throttle-lever K) through the opening h into the channel ha, and thence through the opening 7r into and through the registering-opening f in the steam-chest. The valves G and 'G being withdrawn, the steam escapes through the opening 1) into the cylinder back of the piston-head, forcing the same around until the cams are in a position to actuate the several levers which control the valves G and G and the plunger (1. The fluctuations in the grooves in the cam-wheels L are such that as the piston-head approaches the plunger (Z, which normally closes the exhaust b, the pitman M is withdrawn, actuating the levers which control the movement of the valves G and G, which movement closes the inlet-ports, and the steam is cut oil short of the stroke of the piston, which thence works by the expansion of the steam, the plunger being withdrawn to open the exhaust before the compression resists the movement of the piston, and by reason of the two pistons be ing rigidly mounted on the same shaft and having their heads directly opposite one another the piston-head which is approaching the plunger (Z is materially assisted in its revolution and its normal rate of speed is maintained by the rotation of the piston in the opposite cylinder. Immediately after the closing of the inlet-ports the cam-wheel will also, by reason of the fluctuation in the camgroove Z, in which rests and is actuated therefrom the pitman N, withdraw the plunger (Z through the medium of the connecting-levers and expose the exhaust-port b. The position of the piston at the withdrawal of the plunger is such that it is not near enough to said plunger to compress the air and steam in the cylinder in front of the piston-head in such a space as would be detrimental to the forward movement of said piston. The confined and compressed air or steamin front of the piston and the expanding steam in the cylinder back of the piston after the withdrawal of the plunger (Z escapes through the exhaust.- port I), which being of increased area takes but a small space of time to exhaust the cylinder of the compressed air and steam, leaving the space in the cylinder in its former condition-that is, at substantially atmospheric pressure. \Vhen the cylinder has thus been relieved of the superfluous steam and compressed air and steam, the piston-head passes the exhaust b and inlet-port b being carried over its dead-center by the forced rotation of the piston in the opposite cylinder, as before described, and after passing said exhaust and inlet ports the lever O is actuated by its yoked connection with the cam-wheel L through the medium of the groove Z and assumes its normal position against the periphery of the piston. This movement closes the exhaust-port b. The plunger also serves as one wall for the live steam after the valves G and G are opened, and the steam enters the cylinder back of the piston-head. This operation is continued alternately between the cylinders. To reverse the engine, the valves I are forced out, closing the opening 7:. and opening the opening 72. permitting the steam to enter through the outer chamber of the steam-chest into the cylder through openings b,f*, and f The position of wheels L is such that the cams operate alternately, so that while the exhaust is escaping from one cylinder the other piston has made but part of a revolution. The valves G and G are actuated simultaneously. hen the steam is admitted in the back of the piston-head,it enters the openings R 4 Q, and the openings in the periphery of the pis- IIO ton forces out the packing-block against the sides of the cylinder, thereby preventing the escape of any of the steam from the inclosed space within the cylinder.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a steam-engine, the combination, with a circular casing having supply and exhaust ports in its sides opening into a steam-chest, of a circular piston mounted on a shaft in the center of said casing, blocks movably secured around its outer edges adapted to be forced out by the steam and make a steam-tight joint with the casing, a single piston-head on said piston, a plunger normally held against the piston and closing the exhaust port, grooved wheels mounted on the shaft, and a yoke having a roller engaging in one of said grooves, said yoke adapted to withdraw the plunger and open the exhaust-port, substantially as described.

2. In a steam-engine, the combination, with the casing, of a circular piston mounted in said casing and having movable blocks around its sides adapted to be forced out by the steam, a piston-head on said piston, having channels therein leading behind movable blocks, adapted to be forced out by the steam and form a steam-tight joint in conjunction with the blocks around the sides of the piston, a plunger normally held against the piston and over the exhaust-port, a steam-chest fitted to the sides of the casing having supply-ports leading into the cylinder on each side of the plunger, valves for closing said supplyports, and wheels mounted on the shaft, having grooves in each side, in which are fitted rollers on the ends of levers adapted to withdraw the plunger when the piston-head is about to pass, and at the same time close the supply-ports until the plunger is against the piston, substantially as described.

8. In a steam-engine, the combination, with the piston and single piston-head thereon, of a plunger for opening and closing the exhaustport, slide-valves for opening and closing the supply-ports, grooved wheels for actuating said plunger and slide-valves, and a-reversing mechanism consisting of avalve-box having two compartments in its ends, said compartmentssubdividedcentrallybyahorizontal partition 71, having openings h and h a partition in said lower subdivision dividing the lower portion into compartments 7L3 and h, into which the openings h and 71, lead, respectively, the side of thebox having two openings h and h, which lead into the compartments f and f of the steam-chest, and thence have connections with the cylinder above and below the plunger, a slide G, having two openings, one of which only admits steam to the piston, and levers for actuating said slides simultaneously, substantially as described.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinders and steam-chests, of the boxing H, having channels it and 7t therein, and valves I, the throttle-lever K, pivoted in the box, having connection on each side of the pivot with the valves I, and the steam-supply pipe entering said box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. SACKETT.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES W. PIERCE, GEO. 0. Boom. 

